By Andanje Wakhungu
www.theweeklyvisionews.net
The county government of Kakamega has gone into partnership with a local miller to kick-start a tree-planting exercise in schools. The partnership is targeting learning institutions across the county as one way of tackling climate change. Addressing the Press after the start of the exercise in various institutions including Malava polytechnic, Friends Malava Boys and girls, Kakamega county executive committee member (CECM) Godfrey Owuor, said the partnership between the county and West Kenya (Kabras sugar) was part of their corporate social responsibility (CSR) targeting young people and is meant to educated and highlight the importance of tree planting to the environment.
“Climate change is affecting the whole World and one way of coping with it is by encouraging young people to plant trees and the best place to find them is in schools. Mr George Muruli, the group head of external affairs at Rai Group of companies which donated the trees that were planted by its Rugby champions (Kabras Sugar) team players, said they were harnessing both Corporate social responsibility (tree planting)and sports to attract the youths to the exercise. Our company has set up the project as a way of realigning itself with county and national government in planting trees to safeguard the country from the global harsh climate change.
“We are launching the Greening Kenya initiative and linking education with environmental conservation and we thank Kabras sugar to choose Malava girls as one of the beneficiaries and observed that it was the right step in educating the youths on the importance of conserving the environment.” The miller is targeting 12 schools this year with 5,050 seedlings intended to be planted in schools from 2,000 initially planted last year.
Besides the tree planting exercise, the miller has engulfed itself in cleaning up rivers, their sources and forests, drilling boreholes to communities and institutions and paying school fees to bright and needy students joining the neighbouring schools, we have mapped out new avenues on how best we can give back to the society
The principal of Friends Malava Boys John Simiyu Wakwabubi hailed the Kabras sugar team, saying they have had a long-standing relationship with the school since 2014 with the school supplying players to the miller. This initiative resonates well with our school because we are part of the team that produces the superstars being showcased in the rugby world. It’s a pleasure to have them as role models back here impacting positively on our youngsters.
